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2004 leaders’ debate

The Story

Incumbent Paul Martin and Conservative Leader Stephen Harper are closer than a newlywed couple in the latest polls - and each is hoping the English-language debate will catapult them to the top. But both men, along with Bloc Québécois leader Gilles Duceppe and the NDP's Jack Layton, hold their ground on the key issues of health care, economic reform, Quebec sovereignty and Canada's involvement in the war in Iraq.

Did You know?

• The federal election was held June 25th. At dissolution, there were 301 seats in House of Commons. For this election, 7 ridings were added for a total of 308 seats.

• Just 60.5 percent of all eligible Canadians voted on June 28 - the lowest turnout since John A. MacDonald swept to victory as Canada's first prime minister in 1867.

• Paradoxically, the close race fired up many Canadians, who tuned into the debates and picked up the newspapers to follow election coverage, according to political science professor Larry LeDuc of the University of Toronto.

• The Liberals squeaked to victory with 135 seats, enough to form a minority government. The Tories won 99 and were denied an even hundred after former Conservative Chuck Cadman, then running as an Independent, won the riding of Surrey North. Cadman was the only Independent to win a seat that year. The Bloc Quebecois won 54 seats and the NDP won 19.